A Love Never Returned
by Erza Scarlet
Summary: 1/25 In which Tayuya wants to give her love to someone.


**Title: A Love Never Returned**

**Summary: In which Tayuya wants to give her love to someone.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.**

_1/25_

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On a cloudy night, Tayuya sat on her bed in her room. It was almost midnight and Tayuya couldn't get to sleep. Her eyes looked down at her bedroom floor in sorrow, for the secret love that she could never share. All because the person she wanted to share it with didn't seem to be interested.

How could she expect Kimimaro to love someone who was such an angry and spiteful person.

True, Tayuya was mean and cruel by nature, but that didn't mean she didn't have feelings. She had a heart; she just didn't know who to share it with. That is, until...

_Kimimaro... _Tayuya sighed inwardly, holding a lovesick look upon her face.

She then fell back on her bed and looked in a daze at the ceiling above her. Having thoughts of the one person, whom she could not help but think of every now and then. He was like a melody she could not get out of her head. A sad but somehow soothing melody that would always aid her in falling asleep, during those long, painful, lonely nights.

Kimimaro was the only person Tayuya would even consider giving her love to. The only person she could fathom getting close to and not have to hide herself behind a mask.

The very mask she had learned to keep on twenty-four-seven, ever since she became a ninja of Oto.

Kimimaro was not like other people; because of this, Tayuya felt compelled to show him the real her. To show him that she was not just some rude, annoying kunoichi that he knew and chided over, when she made a mistake, or failed to fulfill her duties to Orochimaru.

She wanted to show him this, because, in a way, he was just like her.

He was dangerous and cold on the outside, but that was just a cover. Like she, he also wore a mask. A mask that covered his true self, and would not let anyone see passed what he was willing to show them.

Deep inside Kimimaro, there was someone who wanted to love and to be loved in return.

Orochimaru never gave him love in return, which is why he never got to see Kimimaro's true self. All he did was abuse and use him for his own sick and twisted purposes. He only saw the Kimimaro of which he had created.

Kimimaro was like clay to Orochimaru, and, he, whom Kimimaro trusted, would mold him into anything he wanted him to be.

A lesser person of Kimimaro's true self.

Tayuya knew this because the same had happened to her.

She didn't see that Orochimaru was only toying with her in the beginning- that is, until Kimimaro came along. And Tayuya could now see how easily Orochimaru had just discarded her for someone new.

At first, Tayuya despised Kimimaro for taking her place, but then began to pity him.

For in time, he would be just like her, and everyone else in all of Oto.

Used and full of regret.

However, pity soon turned into love, when she discovered that Kimimaro had become bedridden, due to a mysterious illness.

Tayuya finally knew what she had in front her- someone to share her pain with, and possibly love.

It tore Tayuya apart every time she had to pass Kimimaro's room. He looked tired and weak. No longer was he the strong and proud survivor of the Kaguya Clan she once knew. Instead, in his place was a frail, depressed boy who was on his deathbed.

And all because he was lonely and wanted to be loved.

Kimimaro tried his best to give Orochimaru everything he had, and in return ended up with nothing.

Angrily, Tayuya began to play her flute. It was a song she had planned to play for Kimimaro today, but couldn't quite bring herself to visit him.

_Oh, well...maybe tomorrow._

Tayuya sat up and put her flute away, and with a sigh, plopped herself back on her bed; unaware of whom was watching her.

"Why did you stop playing?"Kimimaro sat down beside Tayuya, and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Please...go on,"he urged.

Tayuya gasped in surprise, turning to face Kimimaro.

She didn't even sense his presence, nor did she hear her door open to let him inside her room.

He just appeared there.

"You-u like my song?"Tayuya stuttered.

Kimimaro stared into Tayuya's eyes, seeing her true self.

"Yes," Kimimaro said in a whisper.

Tayuya's eyes widened as his lips brushed against her ear.

"I think it's beautiful...just like you."

If Tayuya wasn't sitting on her bed at the exact moment Kimimaro told her this; she would be face-down on the floor. Those simple words were all that was needed to be said, for her to melt right in front of him.

"Oh, Kimimaro...I..."Tayuya's voice trailed off, as she started to run her fingers tenderly over his pale cheek.

His skin was so smooth and his face was so beautiful.

The only thing that was a bit off was that Kimimaro felt so cold. And his skin was paler than usual.

The look on Kimimaro's face was a sad, yet at peace expression.

Tayuya crashed her lips against his, hungrily. As if this would be the last time, she would ever get to see him again.

Kimimaro didn't pull away or encourage the kiss; he just sat there allowing Tayuya to ravage his mouth.

"I love you,"said Tayuya, pulling away, only to look at Kimimaro with sorrowful eyes.

"I love you, too," Kimimaro replied and kissed Tayuya in return.

He then wrapped his arms around Tayuya, wanting to be closer to her. His hands moving ever so gently on her back.

_This is too good to be true! _Tayuya thought.

Kimimaro was in front of her, returning her affections for him. He was feeling and tasting her for the first time.

He had accepted her love for him.

Tayuya was now convinced that nothing could tear them apart. **_And then...she woke up._**

The following morning, Tayuya learned from her teammates that Kimimaro had passed away yesterday night.

_His lips and embrace were no more than a dream._ Tayuya thought as she dropped to her knees and sobbed.

Tayuya knew that no one would come to console her.

She had nothing.

No friends.

No family.

No one.

She had nothing but the memory of that one brief moment Kimimaro and her once shared to comfort her.

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**A/N:Just a challenge from a certain someone.;) Please review and tell me what you thought of my first drabble. **


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